Milk bottle holder



Nov. v30, 1937. H. l5. COLE MILKIBOTTLE HOLDER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 16, 1937 IrnnentorA Il bZe/v-' A torneys H. D. COLE Nov. 30, 1937.

MILK BOTTLE HOLDER Filed Feb. 16, 1957 s sheets-sheet 2 -nven'tor In fg J Z (yaZe/V- A ttorneys Inventor A H. D. COLE Nov. 30, 1937.

MILK BOTTLE HOLDER Filed Feb. 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Zd ad 55a 0&0 f

Attorneys Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT- i OFFICE.

4 Claims.

This invention: relates to a multiple milk bottle holder. preferably of the home or domestic type and classifiable as pertaining to that line of endeavor having to do with the so-called automatic dispensing or vending bottle holder.

More speciiically, and indicated along structural lines, the preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by a box or similar inclosure having therein novel bottle racking and vending means of a type wherein, in order to remove a full bottle of milk, it is necessary to first insert an empty bottle.

As implied by the preceding paragraphs, it is evident that I am reasonably well conversant with the general state of the art to which the invention relates and have therefore set about to generally improve upon these appreciably old arrangements by providing a comparatively` new structure wherein the'essential novelty is predicated upon the so-called bottle racking and dispensing means, and more in particular on the mechanism embodied in said means for controlling the insertionand removal of empty and full bottles.

Inasmuch as the objects, features, and advantages of the invention are primarily of a structural nature, the succeeding description will beso prepared as to bring these out in a systematic and progressive manner.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the various views:

Figure l is a sectional view, that is, what may be called a central vertical section through the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, showing, in dotted lines, the general method of using the structure, and depicting in detail the outstanding features of the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of Figurev 1, that is, a view looking at it in a direction from right to left, with the hinged-closing door removed for clarity of illustration.

Figures 3 and-4 are sections on the lines 3 3v Cil struction. Itisunitarily referred tof-in thedrawings by the numeral I0 and is adapted to accommodate several quart size or` other predetermined milk bottles. It mightV well be pointed out here that ordinarily it is necessary toV operate this invention by three simultaneously and progressively movable milk bottles, and for this reason the bottles shownin dotted lines-inFig-` ure l are differentiated by the characters A, B andC. The cabinet-or boxisopen at one end, which forms the-entrance, and here is a suitable hinged drop-type closingN door or lid Il. At the opposite end` the structure, is fashioned into what may be designated as the receivingA andremoving compartment or chamber I2, Vthrough which the. bottle C is lifted and bodily removed for use. Atzthe top of thisY compartment I2 isfan appropriate cover or. ,lidi I3.

Mountedy withinthe box isia multi-part metal structure. which may be unitarily described as a rack or holderand this embodies a horizontal' trough or channel having a bottom I4 and spaced parallel sidewalls or flanges I5` facilitating sliding. ofthe bottlesvin a direction from right: to left in Figure 1.. The numerals I6v and Il designate perpendicular longitudinally spacedk pairs of uprights, and theY numeralsv I8 and I9, seen better in Figures 2 and` 3, designate` stabilizing units of 'generalU-shaped form cooperating with these uprights I6A and I1. Thus, inelfect,l we have a` pair of vertical, longitudinally` spaced arched frames to support the tracks or horizontal angle irons'vshown in the drawings. For sake of distinction, the vertical flanges-.ofl the angle irons are denoted by the numeral 20A and the Vhorizontal flangesare indicated atf2`l. These are disposedin spacedlparallelorder to permit the bottle to ride therebetween; in an evident manner.

Itisevident that the primary purpose of these angle-irons is to support the devices which control the movement of the milk bottles. In accomplishing the-desiredlresultsI'have found it' expedient and practicable to utilizewhat may be called inner and outer pairsof star-wheels, the innerones being indicatedby they numeralsv 22 and the outer ones bythe numerals 23.r These arev pivotallymounted on the horizontal flanges as indicated at the point 24, and are rotatably operable through clearance slots 25v and 26, respectively. The prongs or lugs formed on the star-wheels-are in eiect cams and the cam elements-on the wheels or rotors 22 are denoted by the numeral' 2I, while those on the outer star-wheels are indicated at 28.v It is to be ob- Gail served that the edge portions of the lugs 28 are beveled as at 29 to form properly sharpened lifting cam surfaces to be hereinafter specifically described.

The star-wheels 23 are normally locked against rotation by simple pivoted latches 23 of the type seen in Figure 8. Each latch embodies laterally bent stop elements 3G and 3l, normally resting down on the edges of the vertical iianges 20, as shown in full lines in Figures 4 and 5. Attention is called to the numeral 32 forming a feature of the latch, and this constitutes a stop shoulder against which the lugs 28 of the starwheels bear, as shown in Figure 5, to preventV rotation of Ysaid star-wheels. Thus, before the star-wheels can rotate in opposite outward directions through the slots 2S, it is necessary to lift the check latches 29. This is done by theuse of a simple rectangular panel or plate 33 having trunnions 34 mounted for oscillation in appropriate bearings in the upright Il, as shown to advantage in Figure 1. The plate is adapted to swing upwardly under the ears 3l). It will thus be seen that as the milk bottle A is placed in through the open end at the right in Figure 1, it swings the plate 33 up underneath the lifting element 30 and in turn lifts up both latches 29. Hence, when this is accomplished, the star-V wheels 23 are free to rotate outwardly, that is, in opposite directions, through the parts 26.

The beveled vedges of the lugs on the starwheels 23 cooperate with similar beveled or cam surfaces 35, as shown in Figures 5 and 9. The beveled edges 35 are carried on the detent or trip bars 36. There are two of these bars and they are pivotally mounted as at 31 intermediate their ends on the vertical flanges of the two angle irons, as shown more satisfactorily in FiguresV 4 and 5. As seen to advantage in Figures 7 and 9, the beveled cam surface 35 is on the substantially V-shaped lifting tooth 38 on that end of the bar 36 with which the star-wheels 23 cooperate. The opposite ends of the trip rods 36 are notched out, as indicated at 39, and further notched, as indicated at 40, to form additional stop shoulders. It follows, therefore, that' when theV Vdevice is locked, the lugs 21 on the' inner star-wheels, 22

bear against the stop shoulders 43 and the ro-A tation of said star-wheels is prevented.V 1

As before indicated, and before considering the operation of the inventionV in detail, it is to be remembered that the invention works best when there are. three bottles for use. It may well be assumed,rtherefore, that bottle B is a full bottle, and that bottle C is also a full bottle. Bottle A is an empty bottle whichis being put into the rack for collection by the milk man. It might be stated, however, that it is not absolutely essential to use three bottles. In fact, the understanding of the operation may be simplified, to a certain extent, by simply visualizing the action of the two bottles A and B in Figure 1.V Assuming, then, that B is a full bottle, it is locked immovably by the clamping star-wheels 22 which partially embrace the neck thereof, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. The star-wheels are prevented from rotation in that the lugs on the periphery thereof are in engagement with the stop shoulders 4U, on the trip bars 36. Now, then, in order to remove this bottle B, it is necessary to tilt or swing the shoulders 4U down below thelevel of the rotary` star-wheels 22, as indicated for example in dotted lines in Figure 5.

This lifting action is accomplished by the rotation of the star-wheels 23 and the coming into engagement of the cam surfaces 29' and 35. Before the star-wheels 23 may rotate, however, it is necessary to release them by lifting the latches 29. Thus, to do this, we put a bottle in the right hand end through the entrance, as indicated at A in Figure 1. As the bottle goes in, it rides underneath the plate 33 and lifts the plate up. The plate in turn rides underneath the lifting finger 30 causing the latches 29 to swing up above the level of the star-wheels 23. Now, the star-wheels are free to rotate. As the bottle is shoved in, it comes into contact with the lugs 28 and starts the star-wheels to rotate. As the wheels rotate outwardly in opposite directions,

-as indicated in Figure 3 by arrows, the cam vedges 29 come underneath the cam edges 35,

and this obviously lifts the right ends of said latch bars 36. At the same time, it swings the l opposite shoulder ends 4|) down allowing the starwheels'22 to turn. Thus, by inserting the hand in the chamber I2 and catching hold of the' bottle B, it may be released from the rack and there` after lifted up and removed for use. Manifestly, therefore, in order'to get out the fu1l` bottle, it is necessary to put in an empty bottle, and this serves the purposes of both the housewife and the dairy, as is obvious. f

It is thought that the description taken in connection with the drawings will enable a clear understanding of the invention to be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary. Y

While'the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that minor changes coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to if desired.

1 claim: Y Y Y 1. In a structure of the class described, a casing, a bottle slideway in said casing, a pair of opposed pivotally mounted horizontally arranged star-wheels supported at a predetermined point above said slideway, pivoted trip members for said star-wheels, additional star-wheels for operating the trip members, and bottle actuated release means for Vthe additional star-wheels.

2. Ina structure of the class described, a casing, a pair of spaced parallel horizontally disposed angle irons supported in said Vcasing to permit passage therebetween of the progressively moved milk bottles,'said angle irons being provided with slots, inner and outer pairs ofrotatably mounted star-wheels mounted onthe angle irons and cooperable with the slots, trip means engageable with the inner star-wheels-to prevent rotation thereof, said trip means being associated with the remaining star-wheels so that when the latter star-wheels are rotated the trip means is released to disengage and release the first-named star-wheels.

3. In a structure of ther class described, a casing, a bottle slideway in said casing, bottle retaining means supported above said slideway,Y trip means associated therewith,a pair of star-wheels engageable with the trip means for actuating the trip means when the star wheels are moved by a bottle, retaining latches engageable with said star-wheels to prevent rotation thereof, and bottle actuated lifting means for said latches.

4. In a structure of the class described, a casing, a rack in said casing, said rack including a. channeled slideway for the bottle, Vfurther including uprights and horizontal angle irons supported on said uprights, said horizontal angle irons having their vertical flanges arranged in` opposed parallel alignment and formed with slots, a pair of inner star-Wheels mounted on the angle irons for rotation through said adjacent slots,

a second pair of star-Wheels pivotally mounted on the angle irons for rotation through the remaining slots, and a pair of pivoted trip bars on said angle irons, said trip bars being provided at corresponding ends with stop shoulders with which the rst-named star-Wheels engage, said 

